Carriage Return Works – of the the future Laneway uncertain Festival The Review St Jerome’s – 2009 Page 15 The Review Page 17 NUMBER SIXTY-EIGHT FEBRUARY ’09 CIRCULATION 22,000 ALEXANDRIA BEACONSFIELD CHIPPENDALE DARLINGTON ERSKINEVILLE GLEBE KINGS CROSS NEWTOWN REDFERN SURRY HILLS WATERLOO WOOLLOOMOOLOO ZETLAND Redfern activist calls for climate justice Protesters outside Tanya Plibersek’s office in Surry Hills Photo: Supplied Emissions reduction target “not nearly good enough” Flint Duxfield Newtown branch. But Chippendale resident and member A string of protests took place of the Sydney Greens, James Diak, who across the inner city last month as attended the protests at the Federal Sydneysiders voiced their opposition Government’s Phillip Street offices, to the Federal Government’s disagreed: “In terms of carbon dioxide announcement of a 2020 emissions concentration, 450 parts per million reduction target of five per cent. (ppm) is really the maximum ceiling for safety, and a five per cent agreement Local residents and environmentalists would push us to over 650ppm which is chanted, “We didn’t vote for five per not just dangerous climate change but cent” outside the offices of Labor devastating climate change.” MPs Tanya Plibersek and Peter Garrett Similar protests were witnessed and the Government’s Phillip Street outside the Botany office of Peter offices. Garrett where protestors dressed as sea Lindsay Soutar of Climate Action creatures theatrically depicted the death Newtown (which organised the “step of the Great Barrier Reef. in” at Ms Plibersek’s office with the Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Balmain-Rozelle Climate Group) said Turnbull was also targeted by the Patricia Corowa ponders the future of the Pacific Photo: Ali Blogg many people thought the Government community protests with around had let them down. “This target betrays 30 people taking part in a parade of Laura Bannister activist since age 10, when remote weak economy is heavily dependent upon the Government’s election promise to Merchant Bankers for Coal. Indigenous communities were persecuted foreign aid. act as a global leader on climate policy Damien Lawson, climate change The Rudd Government’s failure by white settlers. During the 1970s Ms Yet industrialised countries refuse and the claim that the Government is campaigner with Friends of the Earth, to adopt adequate greenhouse gas Corowa founded several pivotal welfare to adequately curb their consumption serious about averting runaway climate said the protests were an expression emission targets may prove devastating organisations including the Victorian of dwindling resources or restrain change,” said Ms Soutar. of the community’s disgust with the for Pacific Islanders, according to Aboriginal Health Service. greenhouse gas production, factors that Even some of the ALP’s own Government’s climate change policy. Aboriginal and Islander activist Now living in Redfern, sahe is a strong could eventually result in the nation’s supporters spoke out against the targets. “If Kevin Rudd doesn’t have the Patricia Corowa. advocate of climate justice for resource- complete submersion, Ms Corowa “I’m a good Labor Party member, brains or the ticker to choose the [Great poor Oceania nations and believes the argues. but let’s be honest, five per cent is Barrier] Reef, the wetlands and the “Australia reaps the economic benefits Australian Government, as the dominant Ms Corowa says the displacement not nearly good enough,” said Barrie people over coal and other polluting of being the world’s highest per capita regional power, is bound by a duty of of Pacific Islanders contravenes Article McMahon, a retiree from Darlington. industries, then he should get out of the polluter, while sovereign island nations care for them. “I am not persuaded that 12 of the Universal Declaration of “It’s a minimalist target picked to get way,” said Mr Lawson. like the economically disadvantaged there has been serious or even basic Human Rights, which enshrines the the support of an Opposition who don’t Community climate groups are now Tuvalu, Kiribati, Tonga and Samoa watch discussion about the rights of small right of every person to a home. “I really want to move on climate change planning for a climate action summit in rising seas sweep through their houses,” Pacific Island nations under threat,” she contend that unrestrained greenhouse anyway,” he said. Canberra on February 3 to coincide with she says. says. “The situation [of many Islanders] gas production by Australia and other Not everyone reacted with gloom to the first sitting day of Parliament. As a third-generation South Sea is alarming.” economically developed countries for the targets. Tim Davies of Newtown Thousands of people are expected to Islander or “saltwater Murroona woman,” Tuvalu is one such struggling island their own advantage constitutes arbitrary said he was impressed to see a target attend the four-day summit which will Ms Corowa has always had a “strong nation. Made up of reef islands and atolls, interference,” Ms Corowa says. being set at all. “I can see room for culminate in the creation of a human sense and knowledge of country”. the low-lying land is a mere five metres “When Australians sing ‘our home is improvement but five per cent is chain around Parliament House in an The retired Sydney airport customs above sea level at its highest point and girt by sea’ do they really understand that enough at this stage,” said Mr Davies, effort to encourage the Government to officer, and grandmother of one, says has few natural resources. With less than sea includes three great oceans … with who is a member of the Labor Party’s raise its 2020 target to 40 per cent. she has been an Aboriginal and Islander 100 tourists visiting annually, Tuvalu’s Indigenous Islander societies?” 2 The South Sydney Herald – February 2009 PUBLISHER South Sydney Uniting Church Raglan Street, Waterloo News Telephone 0400 008 338 Phone/fax 02 9698 8949 The views expressed in this newspaper are those of the author and the article and are not necessarily the views of the Uniting Church. ADVERTISING [email protected] 0438 719 470 MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 2360 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 LETTERS Please send letters and emails to: The South Sydney Herald. Email: [email protected] Supply sender name and suburb. Size: 150 words or less. We may edit for legal or other reasons. EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Managing Editor Andrew Collis Where to from here? Arne Hanna Photo: Ali Blogg A question of access Every day, Arne Hanna of Redfern, a muso by trade who’s Indigenous leaders FEATURES EDITOR Dorothy McRae-McMahon been in a wheelchair for 21 years, negotiates the same route in order to head out into the community to enjoy a cup of cautious about carbon coffee at his local café. Wendy Collis Station itself is another bugbear, with trading schemes wheelchair access available into the Starting at his residence on the station itself but no access for getting Block, Mr Hanna heads along onto the platforms. Reem Al-Gharabally Caroline Street and reaches the corner Deputy Lord Mayor Marcelle Hoff, of Caroline and Abercrombie. when contacted about this situation, Local Indigenous business leaders NEWS EDITOR advised that the Council has a very are enthusiastic about a carbon Trevor Davies Up until approximately 18 months strong commitment in relation to trading scheme as a means of ago he says he used to safely cross disability issues and has a Disability emissions reduction and promoting Abercrombie Street and access the Access Forum. Regarding the “small economic development in Indigenous footpath with the aid of a small gradient ramp” in question she advised that communities, but are warning them or vehicle ramp that was moulded into “it would be extremely dangerous about signing agreements with the gutter. to construct a disabled access ramp unscrupulous traders. However, around that time, this in the same location as users of this gradient was removed and the gutter ramp would effectively enter the road “In the last two years a lot of and kerb were completely reinstated, and be exposed to significant vehicular people have been going to Aboriginal resulting in Mr Hanna finding one traffic”. She added that there are pram communities trying to get them to morning that he was unable to get up ramps approximately 20 metres away sign up to use emissions trading. The PHOTO EDITOR Ali Blogg onto the footpath. at the traffic signals on the intersection legislation is not in place yet, and till such “If you want to do anything in of Abercrombie and Lawson Streets. time as we know what is going on, we Sydney,” he comments, “like put an These signals incorporate a pedestrian need to relax a bit and not rush off and extension on your house … you’ve crossing. However, she admitted there sign up,” says Warren Mundine, chair Warren Mundine Photo: Ali Blogg got to really jump through hoops to are no ramps at Caroline Street and of the Australian Indigenous Chamber get anything happening, whereas if Caroline Lane but stated the following: of Commerce (AICC), a non-profit part of a package that can help their DESIGNER Robert Young City Council decides for any particular “I’m told that Council’s Construction company set up to promote Indigenous community. We want to ensure that reason that they want to get rid of a team will be installing the four ramps business and advise communities on Indigenous people are not ripped off PRINTER particular feature, they don’t bother as soon as possible.” emissions trading. and that they don’t miss the boat on the MPD to ask anybody – and just away they Mr Hanna remains skeptical. He Carbon trading schemes work on a opportunities for their communities.” 46-62 Maddox St, Alexandria 2015 go!” He adds, “I would have thought wonders why Council saw fit to cap and trade system: a limit is set on The AICC is currently conducting it’d be Council policy – rather than to remove the ramp at least a year ago the amount of carbon companies can research to identify the ways the REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS remove these things – to put more of without putting alternative access on emit in a given time period.